Coaated socket and mounting thereof



March 22, 1955 R. M. HELLER 2,704,833

coman socxET AND MOUNTING mREoF Filed lay 6, 195o 2 sheds-sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

? 06E-'R7 M Hill "1? R. M. HELLER COATED SOCKET AND MOUNTING THEREOF -March 22, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 6, 1950 JNVENTUR.

foei/er M. x/zzfk United States Patent() coArnn soCKET AND MOUNTING THEREOF Robert M. Heiler, Birmingham, Mich., assignor to Watts Electric fr Mfg. Co., Birmingham, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application May 6, 1950, Serial No. 160,441

3 Claims. (Cl. 339-128) This invention relates to sockets and particularly to light bulb sockets and the mounting thereof in supporting members such as instrument panels and warning light housings on automobiles.

An important object of the invention is to provide an improved socket for receiving the terminal ends of a light bulb which is so designed and constructed in a novel manner for manufacture and assembly at low cost and for rapid and convenient installation in supporting panels and the like and which is protected in a novel manner from the entrance of foreign matter. Another important object of the invention is to provide an improved light bulb socket which is protectingly enclosed within a coating or sheath of resilient material, such as plastic, which plastic coating covers the openings on one side of the supporting panel and snugly engages'the panel to prevent the entrance of any foreign matter into the socket and to prevent leakage of light from the rear of the socket. A further important object of the invention is to provide an improved light bulb socket having the bulb receiving end thereof shaped in an unproved manner to provide radially contractible and expansible gripping ngers for interlockingly securing the socket in an aperture of a supporting member or panel, the outside or exposed portions of the lingers being sheathed in a novel manner to form a dust and liquid tight connection to the panel.

in carrying out the invention, the socket is generally in the form of a tapering hollow body or shell substantially closed at its smaller end but through which one or more lead wires from a source of electric current eX- tend, and shaped at its larger end to receive a light bulb and for gripping engagement with the rim of an aperture in the supporting member or panel to which the socket is secured` The shell is provided adjacent to its larger bulb receiving end with a peripheral flange which abuttingly engages one side of the supporting panel. As sociated with the socket and forming a part thereof 1s a coating or sheath of resilient material, such as plastic, which snugly embraces the socket and extends from the smaller end to a position overlying the panel engaging peripheral flange. A particularly novel feature of the invention is the manner in which the material ofthe sheath is interlocked with the socket. In one form of the invention the sheath material enters the slots over which it lies and is interlocked with the ngers formed thereby. In another form of the invention the sheath material interlocks with the peripheral flange by extending through apertures provided for that purpose therein. The terminating end of the sheath is so disposed with respect to the supporting member upon which the socket is mounted that it snugly engages the same to prevent any entrance of foreign matter into the socket, sealing the same against the entrance of dust and moisture and preventing light leakage. v

An important novel feature of the invention is the provision for preventing any strain or tension on the wires leading to the socket from impairing the electric contact in the socket between the light bulb and the terminal ends of the wires. The sections of the wires immediately adjacent to the socket may be freed from an enclosing body of heavy insulation and each may be separately undulated to provide slack. The plastic sheath which encloses the exterior portions of the socket is shaped to overlie the undulated sections of the wires with clearance and form a protecting cover therefor. .o

ice

The sheath is joined at one end to the socket and at the other end to the heavy insulation and takes any strain on the wires which would otherwise be transmitted to the undulated or sinuous sections of the wires and nullify the function thereof.

Various other objects, advantages and meritorious features of the invention will become more fully apparent from the following specilication, appended claims and accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a side elevation, partly in section, of a socket constructed in accordance with this invention and shown mounted in a supporting panel,

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the socket, broken away in section to illustrate the interior construction thereof,

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the socket showing a light bulb therein,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line 4 4 of Fig. 3 and illustrating the interposition of the coating material between the fingers of the bulb receiving end of the socket,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken along line 5--5 of Fig. l,

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail sectional view illustrating a modification of the invention,

Fig. 7 is an interior view of the modification of Fig. 6, taken along line 7 7 thereof,

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a modified form of socket assembly showing the same mounted in a relatively exposed bracket and provided with an elongated form of protecting sheath,

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal sectional View through the socket assembly of Fig. 8 and a part of the bracket to which it is attached.

Fig. 10 is a cross sectional view of the modiiied socket assembly taken along line 10-10 of Fig. 9,

Fig. ll is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the modified socket assembly taken 45 to that illustrated in Fig. l0, and

Fig. l2 is an enlarged detail view taken along line 12-12 of Fig. l0.

Tne socket constructions illustrated herein are particularly adapted for installation in motor vehicles. The two illustrated embodiments of the invention are intended for mounting on automobile instrument panels and housings of tail light assemblies, but it is obvious that they may be mounted on other supporting members.

Referring particularly to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. l to 7 inclusive, there is shown in Fig. 1 a supporting member 10 which may be a conventional instrument panel disposed in front of the driver of an automobile. The socket is generally conical in formation as shown in Fig. l and as herein illustrated comprises a two-part assembly forming a shell generally indicated at 12-which is relatively smaller at one end and larger at the other end. The smaller end is provided with an opening, not shown, through which a lead wire 14 from a source of electrical current extends for delivering the current to a light bulb received in the socket. The opposite larger end of the socket is opened and receives the terminal end of a light bulb indicated at i6 in Figs. 1 and 3. As shown in Fig. l, the larger end of the socket projects through an aperture formed in the supporting member or panel 1i) and slightly beyond the side thereof where the light bulb is located. The light bulb side of the panel represents the front side thereof and the opposite side of the panel represents the back or rear side thereof. it is evident that the major portion of the socket is located on the rear side of the panel with only a small portion thereof pro- 'gctinlg through to the front side thereof as shown in The shell member generally indicated at 12 is formed of two parts and with reference to Fig. 2, the two parts comprise a metallic sleeve i of substantially one diameter throughout its length and a collar 2i) which is generally conical in shape. The collar 29 is secured at its smaller end to the side of the sleeve 1S approximately mid-way between its ends, as shown in Fig. 2 The smaller end indicated at 22 initially siidingly fits the sleeve 18 and is secured thereto in any suitable manner Vend of the collar.

aro-1,833

the sleeve and in this manner the collar is held rigidly f on the sleeve. The collar llares outwardly and upwardly from its point of connection 24 to the sleeve and extends beyond the upper end of.` the sleeve as shown inEig. V2.

The larger bulb receiving end of the collar 20 is provided with a plurality of longiuldinally extending slots 261which open out through the wide end of the collar and extend toward but terminating short of the connected end 22 of the collar. The slots are of similar formation and are spaced circularly around the collar and form therebetween a plurality of radially 'expendible andcontractible fingers 28. The extremity of each-linger is inwardly radially inclined, as shown at 3). The i101'- mal minimum diameter of the inclined' portionsA 30 of the iingers is less than thediameterof theV hole inthe panel 1,0 through whichv the socket is projected. The maximum diameter of the parts 30 of the lingers is greater than the hole in thepanel so that when the fingers are inserted through the hole, the edge or rim of the hole compresses the fingers radially inwardlytoward the axis o f the socket.

Y The shell body 12-*is provided with anoutwardly projecting peripheral ange 32 which abuts the rear side ofthe supporting member or panel l0. This is accomplished by crimping a circular bulge in the shell adjacent to but .short of its forward extremity. The peripheral flange 1s formed under dies to the resulting-formation Vwith a narrow portion 34 which is inclined toftheaxis o fthe socket and opposite to the inwardly'inclined portron 30 thereof. These narrowportions of the fingers cooperate together to form a seat into which the edge Y Vorjrim of the hole of the panel is'r'eceived'. Thegtwo parts 301and 34 of each-linger merge at an apexindicated atv36 Vin Figs;V l and 2 which interlockingly en'- gagestheedge of the-hole. In mounting the socket in the panel,y the iingerend ofthe shell s projected through the hole of thepanel from therear side" thereof and the edge of the hole ridesY over the inclinedportion30 of the lingers contracting the same, and after sliding overthe apex 36 fofy each finger it is reccivedlinu the slight circular recess formed by the outwardly inclined arcuate-portions. of the lingers. In this manner, the fingers Yreleasably secure the socket to thepanel.V A Each part ofthe socket-body, ,namely the sleeve V18 and thejcollar-20, is preferably formed ofsheetmetal stock. The sleeve 18fis originally.. a flat sheet and when rolled into a sleeve has the opposrteedgesbrought linto substantlal abutment vas indicated at 38 in Fig. 2.V The forwardy end of the sleeve 18 is provided with conventional bayonet-or J-slots 40, two such being shown in Fig. 2; located diametrically opposite torone another, These bayonet slots receive the terminal end of alight bulb 1ny the conventional manner and releasably hold the same 1n the socket. The J-slots terminate short of -the securedend'22 of the collar and they are therefore Wholly enclosed by the outwardly flared slotted The collar 20 is formed from a sheet metal tube. One end section of the tube is provided Vshown herein by rebendingv the radially expanded end with a plurality of circularly spaced apart'slits which when the end section is radially expanded form the slots 26 and the fingers 28. At the same time the slotted end of the sleeve rs radially expanded, or in a separate operation, it is subjected to pressure under dies to form the peripheral rib or flange 32.

The socket is substantially wholly enclosedjwithin a `protecting coating or sheath of resilient material, preferably plastic material such las va vinyl chloride composition. 'AIheV coating'is indicated at 42 and extends around the sleeve 18 and below `the smaller end; thereofpto form a projecting nipple43 whichA enclosesfgthe entering end of the wire 14. 'Ihe coatingor sheath extends fortions- 44 'ofn the coating material.

tion up to and slightly above the level of the peripheral ange leaving the extremities of the fingers 28 uncoated. The plastic sheath hugs the shell body following its exteriorconguration, as shown in Figs'. l and 2, and overlies the closed ends of the' slots 26. When mounted upon a supporting panel, such as 10, the forward end of the sheath or coating 42. is brought into engagement with the back side of the panel to form a seal therewith against the entrance of foreign material into the socket. By lapping over thev llange 32, a portionV of the resilient sheath is interposed between the supporting panelY 1G and the ilange as shown in Fig. l and is compressed therebetween to form water and dust tight seal around the back side of the hole in the panel. rl'he sheath also overlies the inner end sections of the slots 26 and serves 1 tow-:lose the 'slots againstv the entrance of foreign material as is clearly evident'in Fig. l.

in the dipping operation of forming the sheath 42, theA plastic material,v by virtue of itsilowa'oility at that time; enters the slots as indicated at 44 in Figs. 4 and 5; The entering portions 44` of the coating helpv to more fully seal the-openings against the entrance of foreign material. Moreover, when the fingers are radially contracted-in their mounted position on the supporting panel; the contraction ofv these iingers tends to reduce the width of the slots and to pinch the interposed por- In this manner, the portionv of the coated material overlying the slots 26 isv interlockingly engaged with the fingers against separation therefrom. This prevents accidental separation of the-sheath from Vthe socket body particularly that part overlying the-liange 32v and assures the interposition of a portion of thesheath between the iange and the supporting panel.4v

Figs; 6 l'and-7 illustrate a modification of the invention wherein not only does the material of the sheath 42 enter the slots' but it also projects beyond the inner surface 'ofthe' collar 20 andis widened therebeyond for positive interlocking engagement; therewith. This is shown particularly in Fig. 6'. On the inside of the .collar opposite each slot, the material of th'ersheath forms a head or b ead- 46 greater in width than the slot. Each head 46 resists withdrawal movement ofl the coating material ythrough 'the-4 slot and holds the sheathv snugly againstthe=` exterior surface of the socket.VV The contractionofjthe lingers when inserted into the mounting hole of'a' supporting panel will reduce the width of the slotsV and pinch the material of the-sheath therein. Such form of securementY for the-sheath, and this is likewise true of, this pieviousl'y describedY embodiment of the invention, willjav'oid thenecessity 'and'V the resultingcost of bondingj'thecoatin'gor sheathto the louter surfaces of the socket. Y Y

Inth'e embodiment ofthe yii'avention.illustrated in Figs. 8 to l'l' inclusive; the socket assembly is adapted for mpuntingpin a relatively exposed light housing on a vehiclesuch'asja parking lampor a tail lamp which are more exposed'to the `elements-than the mounting of the previously described embodiment of the invention.

Referringy to Figs.V 8 to ll, an automobile tail light housing is shown generally at 50 including a back wall 52 having 'an aperture 54 therein through which the socket assemblyis inserted. The socket assembly is generally indicated at 56 inFig. 8. vIt includes a Vmetallic sleeve shaped-'part 5S-"shown in Fig. 9 corresponding to the'sleeve 18 previously described and into which the terminalend of a light bulb is received. The sleeve 58 is provided with conventional bayonet or- J-slots 6G which receive lateral projections on the terminal end of the light bulb for releasablyV locking the same inthe sleeve.y Y

The sleeve 58V as showninFigs. 9 and ll projects through, the aperture 54 and into the housing of the tail-flight.1 The inner projecting end of the sleeve is encircled by a cup-shaped memberor collar k62 having an; inturned apertured end portion 68 through which theyinner 'end of thesleeve projects.Y A ring shaped membertiuin the-form of an annular plate encirclesthe sleevetfSSen;spaced;.relation tothe inner end thereof and inside of the plane of the back wall 52. A coil spring 64 ris seated at one end on the ring shapedmember 66 and at the other end on .the inwardly-turned portion 68 of the collar and yieldingly urges the ring shaped member toward the wall 52 of the housing. The ring shaped member is provided with projections or tongues, two in this instance, which are shown at 7 0-7 0 in Fig. 1l and which extend through apertures 72-72 in the collar to the outside thereof. The tongues have portions inclined to the plane of the back wall 52 for wedging engagement therewith.

The apertures 72 have an axial dimension greater than the thickness of the tongues to provide a limited axial travel to the ring shaped member. The tongues 70-70 are preferably located on opposite sides of the ring shaped member and in the assembled position of the parts extend in overlapping relationship to the back wall 52 of the housing as shown in Fig. l1. The coil spring 64 yieldingly presses the tongues 70-70 against the back wall 52 to hold the socket assembly in non-rattling condition. The aperture 54 of the housing is provided with two cut outs (not shown) located on opposite sides thereof through which projections 70-70 initially pass when the socket is installed. Thereafter, by a quarter turn, the projections 70--70 lap over the back wall 52 of the housing and are held in abutting engagement therewith by the coil spring 64.

The outer end of the sleeve 58 is enclosed by a metallic casing 74 which may be of non-circular formation to facilitate turning movement of the socket at the time it is installed. The casing is provided with an outwardly projecting peripheral rib or iange 76 which, as shown in Figs. 9 and ll, extends beyond the aperture 54 in the back wall of the housing and is brought up into substantial engagement therewith. The opposite end of the casing 74 is inwardly bent as at 78 to form an aperture of reduced diameter against which the outer end of the sleeve 58 abuts. The latter end of the sleeve may be rolled inwardly slightly as shown for seated engagement with the reduced end of the casing.

Carried interiorly of the sleeve 58 and seated adjacent to its outer end is a conventional electrical contact for engaging the terminal end of a light bulb. As shown in Figs. 9 and ll, the contact comprises a body 80 of insulation material having a peripheral ange 82 which is wider than the aperture in the outer end of the shell and sleeve and seats thereagainst. Carried by the body S and projecting toward the inner end of the sleeve 58 are either one or two hollow electric contact members of similar construction shown at 84. Each contact member is separately encircled by coil springs 86 which yieldingly urges the member toward the inner end of the sleeve for contact with the terminal end of the light bulb. Associated with each contact member is a wire 87 which extends through the hollow interior thereof and is secured to the inner contacting head of the i member. The wires 87 project from the body 80 and forwardly of the motor vehicle to a source of current supply. 'Ihe ends of the contact members 84-84 located in the body 80 are widened as at 88 and are shaped to abut shoulders formed in the body to limit outward travel thereof in the direction urged by the springs 86.

The outside portion of the socket is enclosed by a body or sheath of plastic material indicated at 90 which snugly hugs the casing 74 and the ange 76. As in the previously described embodiment of the invention, an important feature of the invention is the manner in which the sheath 90 abuts the supporting member to which the socket is attached to prevent the entrance of foreign matter. As shown in Figs. 9 and 1l, the sheath 90 wraps over the edge of the ange 76 and around to the housing side thereof as at 92. In this manner a portion of the sheath is interposed between the ange and the back wall of the housing to form a dust and liquid tight seal at this point.

To assure abutting engagement of the material of the sheath with the back wall of the housing, the sheath is interlocked with the flange in a particularly novel manner. As shown in Figs. 9, l0 and ll, the flange is provided with a plurality of circularly spaced apart holes 94 located adjacent to its outer periphery. The plastic sheath 90 is formed by a dipping process prior to the assembly of the socket in the lamp housing and in the dipping operation the material of the sheath ows into the holes 94 and forms small pillars 96 extending through enclose the lead wires 87--87 for a portion of their lengths. As shown in Fig. 9, the Sheath has a tapering section 98 which projects forwardly of the vehicle from the back wall of the tail light housing and its smaller end is sealed as at 100 to the conventional relaf tively thick but exible insulation 102 which surrounds both of the lead wires and holds the same in side by side parallel relationship. Between the body 80 and the insulation 102, the lead wires 86 are each merely covered by a thin layer of insulation material but are otherwise free of the conventional heavy insulation which wraps around both wires and holds the same together.v

Heretofore, particularly in tail light assemblies, the lead wire or wires running thereof are usually bent around the structural portions of the motor vehicle and in so doing vstrains are placed on one or both wires which tend to pull the same forwardly of the vehicle and thereby retract one or both of the contactk members 84 out of engagement with the terminal end of the light bulb. When this occurs, the tail light is extinguished or flickers on or olf depending upon the amount of strain on the lead wire. An important feature of the present invention is the prevention of such electrical disturbance. As shown in Fig. 9, the sections of the two lead wires 87-87 within the sheath extension 98 may each be given a sinuous or twisted formation which will take up any strain exerted on the wires and prevent such strain from reaching the contact members 84-84 and retracting the same. The sheath 93 cooperates with the sinuous portions of the wires by completely enclosing and protecting the same for that portion of their lengths while at the same time giving suicient clearance therein to provide the sinuous formation.

Although two lead wires 87-87 and two contact members 84-84 are shown, it is understood that the invention is applicable to such socket assemblies employing one contact member and one lead wire. ln such construction, the single lead wire will have the sinuous formation imparted thereto adjacent to the socket to take up the pulling strain. For such portion of its length, the heavy insulation on the wire may be removed. However, the tapering extension 98 of the plastic sheath will oVerlie the sinuous section of the wire and protect the same from the elements.

The collar 62 may be secured in any suitable manner to the casing 74 to hold all the parts in assembled relation. For this purpose the collar 62 is provided with two or more small extensions or tangs 104 which initially project from the edge of the collar adjacent to the casing as prolongations of the wall of the collar. In assembling the parts, the tangs are passed through narrow slots 106 formed in the radial flange 76 and are thereafter bent substantially perpendicularly to their original plane to clamp the collar to the flange of the casing in the manner shown in Fig. l2. In this manner, the collar and the casing are joined together and hold the remaining parts therewithin.

What I claim is:

l. A socket assembly for receiving a light bulb and adapted to be detachably mounted from the rear through an opening in a panel, said assembly comprising a generally cylindrical metal sleeve portion open at its front end to receive the base of a light bulb and having an opening at its rear end for induction of an electrical conductor, said socket assembly comprising a plurality of forwardly extending laterally separated resilient mounting fingers, said lingers at their forward ends having rearwardly and outwardly inclined guide lips for camming said lingers radially inwardly as the socket assembly is inserted into a panel opening, portions of said lingers rearwardly from said lips being formed outwardly to provide abutments located in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the socket assembly and engageable with the rear of the panel, the portions of said fingers intermediate said abutments and the rear ends of 7 said guide lips diverging forwardly and Aoutwardly from the radially inner portions of said abutments to engage portions of the v panel surrounding the opening therein at the opposite side of the panel frornvsaid abutments, a continuous resilient flexible dust cap on said socket assembly and coyering the external surfaces thereof from said abutments to and beyond the opening at `the rear thereof, the forward end of said dust cap covering the rear surfaces vof said abutments and having a continuous annular front edge extending just forwardly of said abutments to engage the rear surface of .the panel throughout an annular zone located radially outwardly from said mounting fingers, said dust cap covering the spaces bef tween said fingers to prevent the passage of dust therethrough, and extending rearwardly to the opening at the rear of said-sleeve portion, said dust cap having an apertured nipple at its rrear end through which the electricalV Vconductor extends, said nipple having an inner surface adaptedtto engage around the conductor to form a dust tight seal therewith.

2. A light socket having an open front bulb-receiving end and a pluralityY of circumferentially spaced metallic spring mounting fingers, seating abutments extending radially outwardly from said fingers intermediate the ends thereof, and a continuous coating of resilient material extending from the other end of said socket to said abutments,V the forward edge portion of said coating v covering the rear sides and at least the outer portion of the front sides of said abutments and terminating thereat to leave the portions of said fingers forwardly of said abutments free from said coating, said coating overlying and sealing the `spaces between said fingers rearwardly or" said abntments, the rear end of s aid socket having. an Vopening for receiving an electrical conductor, said coating extending rearwardly tothe conductorV receiving opening and having a .small opening thereat, the edge portions .of which are adapted to seaiingly engage with such conductor.

3. A light socket as defined -in claim 2 in which said coating venters into theY spaces between said fingers and includes portions engaging the inner surfaces of said fingers to provide a mechanical interlock therewith.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED` STATES PATENTS 

